Ecuador imposes 11 p.m. curfew in 9 provinces through May 18

Curfew and emergency powers now cover much of Ecuador

Ecuador’s 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew runs from May 3 to May 18 in 9 provinces and 4 cantons under the country’s latest state of exception. The order covers Guayas, Pichincha, Manabí, Santa Elena, Los Ríos, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Sucumbíos, El Oro and Esmeraldas, plus Las Naves, Echendía, La Maná and La Troncal.

The rules come on top of broader emergency powers tied to gang violence and organized crime. Security forces can carry out warrantless searches in some cases, review communications tied to active probes and restrict assembly in the affected territory.

Who needs to plan around the restrictions

Tourists, expats and digital nomads in the covered areas are subject to the curfew during the listed hours. Police made 124 detentions on the first night, including 119 for curfew violations.

Cuenca, Vilcabamba, Tungurahua, Chimborazo, Imbabura and the Galápagos Islands are outside the curfew zone. Travelers heading to or from the airports in Quito and Guayaquil can move through the curfew if they carry a boarding pass or ticket plus a passport or Ecuadorian national ID card.

What to do before moving around at night

Plan evening travel, airport transfers and hotel check-ins to finish before 11 p.m. in affected areas. There are no safe-conduct passes and only health workers, police, security forces and emergency personnel are exempt.

The UK, Canadian and U.S. governments have issued travel advisories for Ecuador tied to the internal armed conflict and rising violence. Carry ID, expect more checkpoints and check the latest official guidance before crossing provincial borders. Read our full Ecuador guide for the complete picture and our visa updates page for more travel policy changes.